A new RISC OS usergroup for the north east of England is set to launch at next week's RISC OS roadshow. Michael Bell hopes to round up RISC OS using punters living in Northumbria, and hold the group's first meeting from his home in Forest Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Michael booked a stand at the forthcoming mini-tour of the north end of the UK in order to promote his new usergroup.

Free parking at both venues. Email paul (at) riscos (dot) com to arrange to pick up a product from a supplier unable to attend the roadshow, or call 02920 464020.

In a bid to reach out to northern users who feel left out of the annual show calendar, the RISCOS Ltd organised roadshow will visit Glasgow on Wednesday, October 18, and Newcastle the day after. On October 21, the roadshow heads south to the South East show in Guildford.

Michael said: "I will be taking a table at the Acorn Roadshow in Newcastle on October 19, and I will be trying to recruit members for a Northumbria Acorn Users Group, NAUG.

"The first meeting will be held in my house at 8.00 pm on Thursday, November 2, when we will decide how to continue. Remember, the meeting doesn't have to be a mid-week evening."

I'm not much of a fan of ROL, but don't you think your criticism is a touch OTT? They may not have made this event ideal for you personally, but it's probably welcome to many others, and at the end of the day, at least they tried.

EK is no problem for me. In fact it will take me 5 minutes to get to the Hilton from my house.....by walking!

Getting to EK is not that bad. Anyway there is a new road from the M77 (forgotten about that Bob?) right up to the roundabout where the Hilton is situated. It takes about 10 minutes drive from Ibrox to EK these days.

For folks coming from the East there is dual carriageway all the way from the M8 to the Hilton, albeit the roundabout at Strathclyde Country park is busy from 4:30-6pm.

Bob if it takes you 1hr to get to EK you must be doing it by bike with a puncture. It took 30mins at worst from Woodlands before the new road was built.

However, the 1 hour was not from woodlands. Try this in the rush hour. Go from the royal infirnary to woodlands 15 mins, quick 5 miute change at home. jump back in car and 30 mins from woodlands to EK, find hotel, park car, walk into foyer and find room. It all adds up.

I have organised many events like this (years ago). Rule No1, If it is work related, do it during work hours and get the people there and back before 5pm. If it is personally related, do it out of hours.

You know I think I'll actually go just to see an iyonix. I'll let you know how long it takes.
Cheers
Bob

I was assuming you meant by public transport; according to SPT, you can do Central to EK in 30 mins, though the hotel in question seems to be a bit remote even by EK standards (it might be nearer one of the stations just before EK, but the map I have isn't clear).

I'd have thought 30 mins from Woodlands to EK in the rush hour was a bit optimistic; I had to do it from Partick a few times, and it was nearer an hour, even avoiding the M8...

ROL have a track record of this kind of thing, though. I had planned to go to their Manchester show last year, but by the time I'd left work and crossed the Pennines, it would have been packing up. I realise that there are constraints both ways: the exhibitors have to go on somewhere else afterwards, and in the case of the "roadshows", this may well be to a stop somewhere on route to the next venue. In the end it's a compromise; the problem is that at present, it seems to be assuming that most RISC OS users are either students, unemployed or retired.

Also, hiring a venue in the centre of Glasgow, while desirable, is going to cost significantly more than doing the same in a hotel on the EK ring road. With only four companies shown as attending (plus NAUG), each exhibitor has to pay for travel, accommodation and 20-25% of the venue hire costs. I don't know how many users are likely to attend, but a city centre location may not even be viable once the costs are added up.

Venues are dirt cheap mid week evenings which is why its been scheduled that way. But its a real shame if because of the starting time the maximum audience is missed, especially in these locations which don't have any other RISC OS shows near by. The sentiment at the Birmingham openday we attended last year, was that people can't make it because they need to book time off work to be able to travel and get there before the last 5 minutes, particularly at the end of the holiday calendar when most people wont have any days left.

I have tons of holidays, but I'm not taking a day off to go and look at a computer. That is just daft.

I'll try and make it for the last 30 mins. Incidentally, rule number3 for organising events.

I used to always check the events schedule. Never good to hold an event when the football is on the telly. Some may not like footy, however, many do.
PS if it was in Edinburgh I may be able to persuade a worldwide IDE developer to attend.

Yes helpful, but not location or anything... Anyway it's not enough notice for me to get away from work early.

I found original post about a week ago and looked for any follow up information. There was nothing so I took it there wouldn't be a visit after all - It wouldn't be the first time somthing RISC OS related has been planned only for it not to go ahead in the end.

I am sorry but in my mind a weeks notice isn't good enough for this sort of event. a confirmation of date and location or at least mention it was still going aheas 1 month before would have been nice. The original post IIRC just said they planed to visit on the 18th (to me that means possiblly till they publish final details)...

Anyway I guess I won't be alone in thinking the very same.

It's no big deal I am sure if it's only me who doesn't turn up but thought it wasn't unreasonable to make the comments I did and wish everyone good luck with the visit.

Thanks

John

PS I am not trying to have a go at anyone here, just explain my point of view better as someone surely thinks my point of view is misplaced.

bob (njnsky) - quite right about the football, especially when its champions league, world cup or local derby's. The safest days of the week are Monday, Thursday or Friday, Ok not 100% safe but the "safest" (the only footie on thu+fri is the UEFA stuff which is for the teams NOT in the champions league OR who failed early on..........hello Celtic!)

Oh dear, that's me dead.....however I would say the same if it was Rangers but they don't even get into UEFA (dead from the blue and the green irrespective of the foot I kick with, thank god I'm Huddersfield Town supporter )

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